Snatchers
by ElissaArdent
Summary: Draco wakes up from a terrible nightmare and begins to find that things begin falling apart, but getting better in others. The title is the basic idea. Draco/Neville and eventual Percy/Oliver This does contain OC's but they're only there to tease and aren't involved in the couples.
1. Chapter 1

**So here's a new story for you guys. I'm really liking it so far. I hope you do as well. Please review!**

The London streets were empty, nothing moved or made a sound. The air was cold and heavy on Draco's shoulders as he hurried down the streets towards one of the few places he could recall, the leaky cauldron. As he walked, picking up speed the closer he got, he still found no one, not even a stray alley cat. He wrenched open the door, hoping to be greeted by the usual boisterous and drunken crowd, but found no one.

The tables and chairs were disarranged and covered in the remains of forgotten meals as though the entire company had suddenly vanished from existence. Next he made his way to the Diagon alley entrance, tapping quickly with his wand. The bricks began to move at a painfully slow rate, finally revealing the usually filled streets, which were no completely empty. Everything was just like the pub, items knocked over here and there, ice cream cones lying on the ground half eaten. A thought ran through Draco's mind. Was he the only one left? That couldn't be, there had to be someone.

As he passed another alley, something crashed within and he found himself peering down it. Nothing. The cold began to creep into him, settling into his chest, and causing his feet to move even faster, nearly breaking into a run. He only made it a few more steps though when hands wrapped around him, cold, wet, hands that pinned his arms to his sides the other covering his mouth to prevent him from screaming. Everything went black.

Draco sat up with a start, clutching the side of his head. His breaths came in ragged bursts, sometimes catching in his throat causing him to choke briefly. His fingers dug into his hair, now dripping with sweat, as his mind raced to figure out why he was so panicked. It had only been a dream, a simple nightmare, and yet he still felt the icy chill in the air and the freezing lump that settled in his chest. "Pull yourself together."

He glanced at the clock. Five in the morning. He sighed, pulling himself out of bed. A shower would do him good, help him forget, and after that he could go downstairs and watch Marie fix breakfast.

Marie watched Draco come into the kitchen. "What're you doing up so early?" She forgot the need to act polite, but as she had noticed that Draco cared less about it now that he was seventeen, it didn't really matter.

"I had a nightmare so I couldn't sleep. Thought I'd come watch you make breakfast." He dropped down into the breakfast nook's chair.

Marie wiped her hands on her apron. "What would you like then? Seeing as I've only just gotten the tea started."

"Pancakes." At the moment that was the most comforting food he could think of and that was what he thoroughly needed, comfort.

Marie nodded at went to work. Most people saw Draco as a spoiled brat, everyone but the family. Marie never thought that. It was probably thanks to the fact that when it was just them, Draco seemed to let his guard down. She could tell now that the nightmare had really gotten to him. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Draco shook his head, hands running through his pale hair, something he did when he was nervous. He stared at the table, letting out a shivering sigh from time to time.

After finishing the pancakes and getting the peach jam Malfoy enjoyed eating on his pancakes Marie did something she definitely wouldn't have, had anyone else been in the room, even a house elf. She placed her arm on his shoulder, pulling him into a sort of hug. "Everything will be alright. I promise."

She hurried away after a moment, than left to wake Narcissa. As she left she heard Draco quietly whisper, "Thanks."

**Marie is a maid or all around servant. She usually fixes their meals when they're not having anything large or when Draco just wants to eat alone/have a snack. I know they don't really need a maid since they have house elves, but I'm sure they would want some human servants. **


	2. Chapter 2

**_I'm sorry for not updating anything in a while. I've been lazy with writing - even my original stories - and I don't even know what I have been doing. I've been reading less, drawing less, no idea what I have been doing. I hope you guys enjoy this - a review would mean so much! Hopefully I can get on top of things soon. I'm introducing an OC, but trust me she won't get in the way of the pairing. Let me know if you want to see her more! Marie too!_**

* * *

Neville searched through the bustling crowd that was diagon alley. He was late, terribly late, and he felt awful for it, but his alarm hadn't gone off and he'd lain there awake with no knowledge of it until his mum had peaked her head in asking if he was still going. He caught sight of Aurora, her ink black hair pulled up in a high ponytail. He let out a sigh of relief, sneaking up to her to tap her shoulder.

She twirled around, violet eyes narrowed in an amused glare. "So what's your excuse?" She glared down at him, hands on her hips. Neville was rather tall, which made Aurora extremely tall.

Neville found that he couldn't meet her gaze. She was only joking, but he still felt awful. He fidgeted with his hands, watching his feet. "My alarm didn't go off, so I overslept. Sorry."

Aurora grinned, hooking an arm with his. "It's fine. Let's go to the book shop." She tugged Neville along, chatting animatedly about this and that. Neville wasn't quite sure how they had become friends, he wasn't that interesting, but somehow Aurora had stuck to him and now she wouldn't let go. Not that Neville minded, he didn't have many other friends. Of course that led to teasing about her being his girlfriend, but he ignored it the best he could.

She led him over to the herbology books before going to browse the novels. "Don't go wandering off."

Neville nodded, used to such an admonishment by now. Aurora always wanted to keep him in her line of sight. She had warned him about the rise of snatchings and had informed him on multiple occasions that he was a perfect target, considering his cute face and 'wouldn't hurt a fly' demeanor. Neville wasn't quite sure if she would make much of a difference, but he did know she would be much braver in a fight.

His thoughts immediately snapped back to the present as he noticed a new book by one of his favorite authors on underwater plants and their medical uses. After browsing through it and weighing whether to get it or not, it wasn't extremely high since the author wasn't very popular, he headed to find Aurora with the book in tow.

He found her browsing through the novels, scowling at the one she currently held before putting it down. She perked up when she caught sight of him though. "Find something?" Neville held the book up for her to inspect and she nodded. "Good to know I can find you if I'm ever poisoned."

Neville found himself smiling at this. "Did you find anything?"

She shook her head, ponytail swinging. "Not one thing. I'd like to find a book where the main character doesn't fall for the first guy or girl they met or at least spice it up a bit and make them both boys."

Aurora's tastes in romance were unique, and the reason Neville didn't have to worry about her trying to date him. She cared little for romance herself and would rather try and find someone for him like some sort of experiment.

"I doubt that would sell very well," Neville replied as he took his book to the checkout.

Aurora sighed. "You have a point. I'll just have to place my hopes on you."

After wandering around the area a bit, Neville found his thoughts returning to the recent snatchings. Sure they'd been on the rise, but who in their right minds, or wrong ones even, would try snatching someone in broad daylight?

* * *

Draco had thought his nightmare would leave him alone after a while, but it just wouldn't. He found it impossible to sleep most nights and he would always get nervous if left alone outside of the house, which had led to the fact that Marie was now accompanying him to diagon alley. He didn't care that Aunt Bellatrix didn't want her to go, he wasn't going alone.

"Could we stop by the potions store? They have excellent bay and thyme and I need more if we're to have beef stew for dinner."

Draco had found that Marie acted much less like a servant when they left the house, not that he minded. She wasn't a house elf after all so it wasn't as if she simply existed to serve, she could have found work elsewhere, especially with her cooking skills, but she had stayed. "If you like."

Marie thanked him, moving off towards it. Draco followed his eyes scanning the crowd. He followed Marie around, much like a loyal dog, trying to avoid looking at some of the unknown pickled substances that lined many of the shelves.

He decided to simply watch out the window, and found himself staring at a brown head across the street in the bookstore.

"Friend of yours?" Marie asked, having paid for the herbs.

Draco frowned. "Not exactly."

Marie though didn't seem to care, tugging on his arm. "Let's go say hello then." Draco didn't have time to protest before she had drug him out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

**_I was going to write something else. A nice fluffy thing for these guys in one of my other stories, but my brain won't work on anything. Usually it would love for me to write boy's love, but not today, so have more of this. Please review!_**

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"Hello!" Neville turned to see where the sudden outburst had come from to see a blonde girl, a few years his senior, dragging none other than Draco Malfoy towards him. The girl came to stop before him, turning to Malfoy. "This is who you were staring at right?"

"I wasn't staring!" Malfoy snapped, pulling his arm from her grasp. "I just recognized them from school is all." He glared pointedly at her.

"Yes you were. Don't try lying to me or you won't get dessert tonight. Now say hello!" She easily returned his glare, hands on her hips in a way that reminded Neville of Aurora.

Malfoy made as if to protest, but thought better of it. "Hello, Longbottom." He didn't look at him nor did he sound too pleased to be there.

"Hello, Malfoy."

The girl didn't seem to notice that he had responded continuing to glare at Malfoy. "Honestly, Draco, you know him from school and you still call him my his last name?"

Draco frowned, crossing his arms. "Its not like we're friends, Marie. We're-"

He didn't get to finish before Marie interrupted. "You bully him, don't you? I swear, how are you supposed to make friends other than those idiots Crab and Goyle?"

"What's this about bullying Neville?" Everyone turned to see Aurora rejoining them after visiting the pet shop.

Marie sighed, addressing Aurora as though a long time friend, and leaving both boys out of the conversation. "Apparently Draco bullies him. I'll have a stern word with him later." She turned to glare at Malfoy again, who looked nervous despite his effort to look tough. "What's your name by the way?"

"Aurora."

"That's a nice name, very pretty. I'm Marie, Draco's maid, well family maid."

Neville blinked, he'd thought the girl was Malfoy's girlfriend with how she handled him, or perhaps a friend, but certainly not a maid. He turned to look at Malfoy who was just watching the girls with a frown. Eventually Aurora and Marie decided to visit the candy store, leaving the boys to follow or get left behind.

* * *

Draco continued to scowl as he waited with Longbottom outside the store as Marie ran around with Neville's friend. Draco was actually quite surprised he had any friends considering how pathetic the boy was. He was surprised when Neville actually spoke to him. "Is she really your family's maid?"

"Marie? She is. Why do you ask?" He didn't really want to talk to him, but he would be bored otherwise.

"She doesn't really acts like it. She acts more like your girlfriend or better yet, older sister."

Draco snorted, somewhat amused. "Your right there. Mother doesn't mind, really, she says its good for me, but Aunt Bellatrix can't stand it, which I guess is partly why I put up with her, that and she's an excellent cook."

Neville smiled. "So that's it. Why'd you bring her with you then?"

"Mother's worried about the snatchings lately and doesn't want me going out alone, not that Marie would help." The lie slipped through his lips before he had much time to think. Sure he was used to lying, but it shouldn't have been that easy, that natural.

Neville laughed silently. "That's what Aurora's like. She keeps me close by as best she can."

"What about you, then, is Aurora your girlfriend?"

Neville shook his head. "No, she's no interest in dating, her own or even in books, unless of course its reading about two guys."

Draco frowned, sneering slightly. "What's that about?"

"No idea."

Draco found that it wasn't that bad talking to Longbottom. He still found him a bit annoying and far too naïve, but it wasn't all together unpleasant, and he did seem to have an actual head on his shoulders unlike Crab and Goyle.

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_**Remember to review! I hope I'm doing well enough with their characters.**_


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